Brent Browning was super nice. He explained that if you wanted to get a book published, you couldn’t just mail it to someone like Joanna Creech. You had to have someone called an agent send it for you, or else it would wind up in the garbage can. Besides, Joanna Creech only worked with books about science, but he told me that his job was to sell graphic novels to editors who wanted to place them in stores. Brent had glanced at Planet Pirates and said they were really well done, but not quite a story. He suggested I take a creative writing class or two in high school, try to get them formatted more clearly, and then reach out to him when I graduated.

“Look, I’m a busy guy,” he said. “I don’t usually chase people down. But Jo has done me a few solids, and when I saw your work, I was blown away. I can’t believe you’re only twelve. A few more years under your belt and some proper story structure, and I can really see you and your sister going places. You keep my phone number, okay?”

So maybe I was Going Places, too.

He told me to keep up the good work, and I promised I would be in touch in a few years. I knew my dream of Planet Pirates wasn’t going to save Blair. I couldn’t save Blair. Jade had been right all along. Only Blair could save herself.

But it was still pretty cool to get a phone call from New York City.

Eventually, I would get a longer letter from Leo. In fact, he would eventually return to Moose Junction, almost every summer, and stay in our cabins. He would help me learn about the stars, and I would help him understand that you can’t go backward. You have to move forward, just like space—always moving, changing, exploding, re-forming, and becoming new.

But we aren’t at that part of the story yet.

I didn’t know any of this, that night. I only knew that I had my sisters, and parents who tried really hard and loved me, and a dog who slobbered. I knew that the average galaxy contained forty billion stars. I knew that I contained stardust that connected me to everyone on the planet—my sisters, Joanna Creech, even Simone. Even Lyra Lacamoire. I knew I had nothing to fear. I knew that I was home, whatever came next.

Acknowledgments

All glory to Jesus, forever and ever.

Alyssa Miele: the fact that you are right under Jesus in my acknowledgments should show you how much I value you for your honesty, attention to detail, and passion. This book is infinitely better because of your care for it! I’m also so grateful for Kathryn Silsand, Jessica White, Rosemary Brosnan, Jacquelynn Burke, and everyone else at HarperCollins who had a hand in making this book something I’m proud of.

Thank you to Alex Slater, without whom this book would be a Word doc on my computer. Your constant belief in me and my talent has made me the author I am today, and I’m so grateful for your enthusiasm and kindness. Here’s to many more stupid questions.